Arcuate rebound play field

ABSTRACT

An air hockey table surface has an oval horizontal playing area with an edge boundary formed as a wall for retaining the air hockey puck. The oval horizontal playing area forms a pair of arcuate rebound sides on the left and right side of the table.

This specification claims priority from provisional application 60/619,447 filed Oct. 15, 2004.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Air hockey has been a popular game. Generally, the table surface has a pressurized air chamber releasing pressurized air through a plurality of apertures formed at regular interval on the playing surface. Air gives a lift or buoyancy to the game puck so that it glides along the playing surface due to the reduced friction between the puck and the playing surface. Because of the reduced friction, the puck can move at fast speed and provide an entertaining game.

The users stand facing each other and each user has a mallet used to capture on defense and then strike on offense the puck into the opposing player's goal. The goal is commonly a slot receiving the puck when the puck is scored into the goal.

Since the invention of the game, the game has been modified to be more fun. For example, the ricochet of shots has been modified. One example of this modification is in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,820, the inventor Zucchi describes scoring hood for air hockey allowing improved play. The scoring hoods appear on each side of the goal. According to the Zucchi patent, the improved scoring hood configuration allows the defender a better chance of retaining missed shots on goal.

The description and example of the traditional game is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,325 to Crossman incorporated herein by reference and U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,267 to Freeman. The game still has much room for improvement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure one is a top view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An oval shaped playing field forms a variety of strategic arcuate rebound regions.

The present invention is an air hockey table surface that has and oval horizontal playing area 50. As with most air hockey tables, the table is symmetrical about the midline 40. The air holes 5 are drawn larger in FIG. 1 for clarity. The edge of the hockey table surface 20 is the wall that retains the air hockey puck within the playing area. A pair of opposing goals 30 is located within the oval playing field 50. This forms a pair of left and right arc shaped rebound surfaces 20. The rebound surfaces on the left and right side of the table provide better offensive rebound capability. Also, toward the rear of the table the rear arcuate rebound regions remove dead playing field that is easier to defend, while encouraging rebounds toward the middle of the field. The players and their goals stand opposed across the length of the table, which is longer than it is wide.

The arcuate rebounds 20 divert some straight shots toward the goal opening 12. Also, without corners in a rectangular field puck recovery is faster on defense allowing a faster paced game. Also, toward the rear of the table the rear arcuate rebound regions remove dead playing field that is easier to defend, while encouraging rebounds toward the middle of the field. The goal boxes 30 on the table are placed within the oval. The goals 30 being within the oval form a pair of defensive bays 25 for each player where missed shots can be recovered more easily by the defender. The pair of defensive bays 25 are formed between each goal box 30 and the pair of arcuate rebound sides 20. If the goal boxes 30 are removed, the actual goals are then formed as slots at the rear edge of the oval table. A variety of ovals can be used such as a Cassini oval described as [(x−a)²+y²][(x+a)²+y²]=b⁴ or an ellipse described as (x²/a²)+(x²/b²)=1. The goal boxes can further comprise a scoring hood as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,820, to Zucchi.

CALL OUT LIST OF ELEMENTS

-   10 Goal -   12 Goal Opening -   20 Arcuate Rebound Side -   30 Defensive Bays -   40 Midline -   50 Playing Area 

1. An air hockey table surface comprising: an oval playing area, the playing area having an edge boundary formed as a wall for retaining the air hockey puck; the oval horizontal playing area forming a pair of arcuate rebound sides on the left, right and rear edges of the table.
 2. The air hockey table surface of claim 1 further comprising: a pair of opposing goal boxes placed inside the oval playing area.
 3. An air hockey table surface comprising: an oval playing area, the playing area having an edge boundary formed as a wall for retaining the air hockey puck; the oval horizontal playing area forming a pair of arcuate rebound sides on the left, right and rear edges of the table, wherein the oval is a Cassini oval.
 4. The air hockey table surface of claim 3 further comprising: a pair of opposing goal boxes placed inside the oval playing area.
 5. An air hockey table surface comprising: an oval playing area, the playing area having an edge boundary formed as a wall for retaining the air hockey puck; the oval horizontal playing area forming a pair of arcuate rebound sides on the left, right and rear edges of the table, wherein the oval is an ellipse.
 6. The air hockey table surface of claim 5 further comprising: a pair of opposing goal boxes placed inside the oval playing area. 